October

October. Hmmm.

( yes, I know im late. Farm mom life. It got me. Dont worry, this month you will get oct and nov emails!)

October is a month that, when you close your eyes, brings up visions of pumpkins, sweaters, steaming cups of coffee, and stews bubbling on the stove. It’s a welcome break from the intense heat of July and August. But for us, October is a bit of a trickster..

We do begin to feel a gentle, whispering breeze from the north peek in on us now and again, and yes, our temperatures have dropped—85 to 95 degrees instead of the sweltering 100 to 115 of summer. But in our very unique climate, it’s not truly fall. Instead, you feel the bustling beginning of our "spring," with the land waking up to new energy.

While the ash and fig trees are dropping their leaves, we’re busy planting new gardens, sowing seeds, and kicking off the canning season. On one side, it’s renewal—preparing the soil and looking ahead to new growth. On the other, it’s all about preparing for the season ahead. We’re sending extra livestock to the abattoir before the summer grasses slow down, and the goats are coming into season, which means breeding is just around the corner.

October here is full of life and movement, a blend of old and new, of tending to what’s been and gearing up for what’s next. It’s that rare time of year when the farm is humming with both renewal and preparation all at once. And while we may not have frost yet (and hopefully no frost at all!), there’s something magical in the air—a reminder that this month holds both the promise of growth and the anticipation of change.

Here in La Feria, our climate is different. The daylight hours and the animals follow the rest of the country’s fall and winter cycle, but our temperatures keep us in a virtual "spring" from October to April. We plant gardens and sow seeds, taking full advantage of these months when the temperatures are more forgiving. This is our prime growing season, with gardens thriving while the rest of the country braces for cold weather. From May to September, it’s a different story—the heat returns, bringing with it conditions that push us indoors, much like how northern states deal with winter's chill. The gardens slow, and we rely on canned and preserved produce from earlier harvests.